Ladder



(No Model.)

M.- M. HUGHES.

LADDER.

Patented Mdy 31, 1887.

passing over an awning-frame.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEW" M. HUGEES, OF PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATIONi'orming part of Letters Patent No. 364,173, dated May 31',1887.

Application filed Mar e118, 1887. Serial No. 230,135. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW M. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Petoskey, in the county of Emmet and State of Michigan, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Ladders, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in ladders, the object being toprovide a ladder light and simple of construction that may be foldedinto small compass when not in use, and that may be hung from a windowor other snp port and unfolded down to the ground there from, so as toserve as an escape from a burnlngbuilding or from a building in whichthe ordlnary egress-avenues are obstructed.

The invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of theside bars of the ladder, the links which connect the sections, and themeans of suspension, which construction and arrangement are hereinafterdescribed, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theladder folded up for storage or transportation. Fig. 2 18 a perspectiveview of the same suspended from the window of a burning building andFig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the devices that slide in theslots of theside bars of the section, and to which the connecting-1i nksare attached.

Referring to the drawings, A A designate the sections of the ladder ofsimilar size and construction, and a a designate the side bars or beamsof said sections. The side bars of eachsection, with the exceptionof'the one forming the lowest part of the ladder when suspended, areprovided with the longitudinal slots B, extending nearly their entirelengths, and situated near their rear edges, or their edges adj aeent tothe building when suspended.

surfaces of the said side bar, so as to keep the piece in the slot.

D D are link-bars, each having one end pivoted to the outer surfaceof aside bar a, near one end thereof, and the other end provided with a.longitudinal slot, (1, through which passes a stud, d, standing outwardfrom the center of the outer plate, 0, of the pieces 0, and sliding inthe slot 13 of the side bar of an adjacent section.

E E are large hook-shaped rods,attaehed at one end to the outer surfacesof the side bars of the section forming the upper end of the ladder, andnear the upper ends of said bars. The attached end of each bar passesthrough staples e e, seen red in the side bar, and is headed, to preventit pulling out of the staples.

When the ladder is not in use, the sections may be folded on each otherand the hooked rods turned up against their sides, as shownin Fig. 1. Inthis position they may be stored in a closet or other convenient part ofa room ready for use. WVhen sofolded, the studs (1 run inward in theslots d, so as to allow the sec tions to come into contact.

To use the ladder, the hooked rods E are turned outward and engaged overa window sill or other suitable support, and the unslotted lowermostsection is slid downward on the adjacent section, the pieces 0 movingdown to the lower ends of the slots B, where they rest upon the rubberpads or. bumpers F F, which are intended to prevent jar when the ladderis in use. hen the outermost section has entirely descended, its upperrounded end abuts against the lower rounded end of the adjacent section,so that the one can turn on the other to form a bend in the ladderwithout danger of bumping orjarring on each action, the links and slotstherein being made of suitable length to permit this action.

When the ladder is down, it may be bent so as to pass over anawning-frame or other obstruction below; or the lower end may be removed some distance from the building, so that the persons descendingwill be removed some distance from the fire below the window from whichthey have escaped.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. A ladder comprising a seriesof similar sections having longitudinal slots in their side bars anddevices carried by the adjacent sectially as described, whereby eachsection can be slid down to the end of its adjacent inner section,substantially as specified.

3. In a ladder, the combination of the side bars,of the similar sectionsprovided with the longitudinal slots, the retaining-pieces having theirshanks sliding in said slots and their end plates on each side of thesame, the links pivoted at one end to the side bars of a section, andhaving the slots on their outer ends engaged to studs standing outwardfrom the retaining-pieces attached to an adjacent section,

and means,substantiall y as described, whereby the upper section may besuspended from a suitable support, as specified.

4. The folding suspensible ladder,composed of the sections A, providedwith rounds I), and side bars, a, having the slots B, provided at theirlower ends with the pads F, the retaining-pieces 0, provided with theshanks c and end plates, 0, the links D, provided with the slots 0',engaging the studs (2' on the corresponding pieces 0, and the hookedbars E, turning in the staples a, secured to the side bars of thesection formingthe top of the ladder, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

MATTHEW M. HUGHES.

\Vitnesses:

D. 0. PAGE, G. O. ALLEN.

